Published 4:00 am, Sunday, April 23, 2006

The challenge: Transform a popular vehicle associated with rental-car fleets into a comfortable cruiser.

Something with just enough power and panache that, at least on a gut level, it could compete with the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, or the striking Chrysler 300C.

But can you teach an old Impala new tricks? Certainly -- if it's today's test model, the Impala SS.

The Impala, a badge that originated in 1958 and whose revitalization dates to 2000, has been America's third-best-selling car, behind Camry and Accord. Nearly half of its 290,000 sales last year, however, were fleet sales. That's fine for final numbers, OK for the business traveler, but not great for building an image. Fleets lessen desirability.

So General Motors Corp., according to the trade journal Automotive News, plans to lop off 60,000 in annual Impala sales, many from fleet purchases. The idea is to make up for the lower numbers by selling option-laden Impalas to individual buyers. It will be sold in four trim levels: LS, LT, LTZ and the hot

SS.

The Impala base model has a 3.5-liter, V-6 at 211 horsepower; the LT and LTZ are outfitted with 3.9-liter power plants at 246 horsepower; and the SS is powered by a 5.3-liter small-block V-8 with 303 horsepower.

All come with a four-speed automatic, but the SS gets a stronger Hydra-Matic version to handle the torque of the bigger engine. All have front-wheel drive, something I found a bit problematic in the SS. Add major power to front-wheel drive, and you can get pull -- called torque steer -- when accelerating out of turns. The Impala had a strong dose of it.

And while the SS is meant to look, sound and feel sporty, it's not really aimed at the hot-rod enthusiast, who would long for rear-wheel drive.

So be happy with the smooth upshifts, the sonorous exhaust notes from the chrome twin tips, and the straight-ahead thrust.

Enjoy the nice mix of textured padding and faux-carbon fiber that form the dash. Peek beneath an arched brow that covers sporty-looking gauges. And be thankful for the simple, large knobs that control climate and sound.

You will find the SS plenty powerful in everyday driving. It is quick from a stop when it needs to be, solid and sure when you roll out to pass, a bit crisp on bumps given its stiffer suspension than the rest of the Impala herd, and has virtually no body roll in sharp corners at speed.

Fold-flat rear seats provide a nice utilitarian touch. You can either lift the seat bottoms and use the bins beneath, or, after lifting them, lower the seat backs for a cargo space that extends into the trunk.

GM, to its credit, has made standard the traction control and side-curtain air bags, front to rear. That shows a serious commitment to safety. Also standard were 18-inch aluminum wheels, dual power outside mirrors, fog lamps and a rear spoiler.

The spoiler added an aggressive look above tail lights that have gone from round to wedge-wrap as they flow from the trunk and drop in a V along the outside of the rear fenders. It also gives the Impala a big-haunch look befitting a swift creature.

Dual-zone climate control is available, and so is a factory-installed remote start system. Eight-way, heated power driver seat and six-way heated front passenger seat -- in leather -- are standard on the LTZ, but we had to pay an extra $1,075 to get them on the test SS. Toss in $495 for a Bose eight-speaker sound system, $325 for XM Satellite Radio (with additional fees after the first three months), and $295 for 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, and our $27,000 car wound up costing $30,000.

But it's still a reasonable price range for a relatively sporty car driven by someone who doesn't want to be, well, too sporty.